Havana, 1939—The glamorous capital city of an alluring Caribbean island, the year that Rolando Fernández and Ninina Perea meet and fall in love. Strassburger begins her story with her parents’ courtship in the golden years of pre-Castro Cuba. Her memoir recounts how her father’s mental collapse and the communist revolution of 1959 uprooted her privileged childhood, both physically and emotionally.

While providing substantial background on Fidel Castro’s political revolt, Strassburger focuses on her family’s experiences: The appropriation of their wealth and properties by the rebel regime. How families were torn apart as children were taken from their parents, forced to undergo communist indoctrination in Russia. Strassburger narrowly escaped such a fate through Operation Peter Pan, one of the largest political exoduses of children in history. Fearing for her future, her parents sent her out of Cuba—alone—in 1961. She relates the terror of being separated from her family and living in a foreign country without them.

With affecting detail, Strassburger depicts her family’s disintegration as her father spiraled into schizophrenia and communism forced them into exile. They left behind their loved ones, their homes, and their identities to face the hardships of a new life in the United States. Palm Trees in the Snow is a family’s story of love, sacrifice, and survival. It is the author’s tribute to a way of life lost forever and the embracing of a new one in America.

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Luis Gonzalez grew up in Culver City, California after his widowed mother of three fled Communist Cuba in the late 1960’s. Though he quickly assimilated into his new country and culture, and though he had no trouble mastering his new language, Cuba never left him. Cuba was always with him: inside him, driving him, calling him. He realized this more than ever when, in the 6th grade, he did his country report on Cuba and thus began a love affair with his homeland that continues to this day. It was only natural that Cuba should play a part in his writing, and even from grammar school age, Luis Gonzalez knew that writing was in his blood.

“I always loved to write, even as a young child, I guess I’ve always been an indie author because when I was in the third grade, after only having been in this country a couple of years, I wrote two stories. One was called The Magic Slippers, the other “The Dolphins.” I took sheets of paper that I folded over and stapled and not only did I write the stories, but I illustrated them and made the cover and everything for them. I still have these two first books of mine and I look back on them now and wonder, wow, I really always was a writer. To this day those two items remain some of my most treasured possessions for they provide a glimpse into the passion that helped shape the person that I am, and if I’m anything, I’m passionate, and if I’m passionate about anything, it’s writing.”

As someone who is deeply moved and inspired by politics and religion and the arts, it was no wonder that he came up with the idea for his novel, Luz, a story that grapples with all three realms. These days Luis Gonzalez calls San Francisco home where he lives with his wife and two of four daughters.

Amarilys Gacio Rassler, born into a family of occult practitioners. Her family escaped Communist Cuba in 1960 through the United States government program “Operation Peter Pan” In the 70’s Amarilys became deeply involved in the occult and driven by madness she nearly took her life. It was through calling on the Lord Jesus Christ that she came to her salvation and deliverance. Amarilys has since shared her testimony with the Body of Christ, for many years and this lead to a ministry of counseling. She’s given presentations in churches about the danger of the occult and the importance of spiritual warfare. She has served as a volunteer Chaplain for the Busch Gardens Theme Park in Florida for fifteen years and for eight years she has written and shared a weekly devotional Bible study for the employees of Busch Gardens under the leadership of Busch Garden’s vice-president, Mike Patrick. Six years ago, Amarilys discovered a new passion, ‘Writing’ To honor her parents and those in her native land, Amarilys wrote and published her first book, Cuban-American, Dancing On The Hyphen, a book of prose and poetry, telling the story of her immigration, and dealing with the plight of the Cuban people under Castro’s Communist regime. She has won awards for her poetry and prose. She has been published in the Florida Writers Association Magazine, The Florida Writer, Tampa Writers Alliance, Wordsmith and in Fiction 365. Presently, Amarilys is working on two memoirs, Beyond The Veil and Breach of Contract. She is also writing an anthology of fictional stories, Intersections,Tales of Suspense and Romance, Where the Natural Meets The Supernatural. She draws from her experiences and encounters with the warfare in the spirit realm. Amarilys’ Contact Information emails: carlrassler@aol.com and sittingonhyphen@aol.com

The Black & White printed book connects you to the essence of knowledge. Each lesson is a step to your awakening, a compilation of wisdom to support you to live your most empowered, fulfilled, abundant, and optimum life. This book encompasses our life’s journey. It is a call to raise our consciousness and vibrations. Its purpose is to guide us to reunite with Spirit. It awakens our inner wisdom, helping us to transcend limiting thoughts, beliefs, and habits. Each lesson in this book has a purpose. The purpose is to awaken reunion with our Soul. As we polish ourselves as a diamond, we grow; we shine through our physical existence. Life is a school, a constant learning. All those who come into your life are meant to be your teachers. Every soul enables the opportunity to mirror you. This inspirational and transformational book reveals to us, through its images and their hidden messages, our Light, which is so greatly needed in these times of great changes. Jacqueline Ripstein’s Art has changed the lives of thousands of people; her Art has been tested and proven by Internationally renowned scientists to be an instrument to help us heal and ascend in Consciousness. You are much more than your eyes can see. Discover your Invisible World and the perfection within it. Your thoughts, emotions, and feelings arise from the Invisible World and are manifested into this physical, material world.

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My Co Host: Bay Area actor and writer Don Schwartz has been seen in a number of film roles during the last six years. He is a writer for CineSource magazine (and previously wrote for now-defunct Film/Tape World) on various topics of import to the local film community, including advocacy and personal profiles. Don has also been published in a variety of publications since 1977. Previously the director of The Trager Institute for 21 years, Don holds multiple degrees, including a PhD in psychology and counseling.

Special Guest: David Hakim who ran a one-man operation covering a lot of ground as a producer, writer, director, assistant director and publicist. With more than 20 years of experience in publicity and PR, Hakim has worked extensively in entertainment promotion, creating marketing packages and campaigns for features, prime-time TV shows, and TV series in domestic and foreign syndication, for various clients (Warner Bros, J Walter Thompson, 20th Century-Fox, MTM Productions, Universal Studios, and Columbia Pictures. For years, Hakim participated in the development and implementation of campaigns for a number of public events, film festivals, entertainment conventions and awards programs, including the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences ‘Student Film Awards’ and the Oscars. Hakim has also consulted on a number of locally-produced films (including Sumerki (Twilight), Soledad Forever, Come Fly with Me Nude, and Ambassador’s Day), and served as lead publicist on the locally-funded and locally-produced feature Her Best Move. He currently acts as a consultant to independent producers in need of promotion and publicity.

In the early morning hours of November 20, 1969, 79 American Indians, including students, married couples and six children, set out to occupy Alcatraz Island. A partially successful Coast Guard blockade prevented most of them from landing, but fourteen protesters landed on the island to begin their occupation.

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When detectives respond to a crime scene in Orlando, Florida, during the “summer of hurricanes” in 2004, they find Charlie Brandt hanging from the rafters in the garage of Michelle Jones’ home, his niece. Inside the house, they find a scene of horror that reminds them of other murders… In 1978, 13-year-old Carol Lynn Sullivan’s head was found inside a rusty paint can in Osteen, FL; her body was never found. Homeless transient Sherry Perisho was murdered in 1989, after moving to Florida from Illinois. Finally, in 1995, Miami prostitute Darlene Toler was deposited on the side of the road, wrapped up “like a package.” Perisho and Toler had their hearts removed; all three had been decapitated; and all three are believed by investigators to have been the prior victims of Charlie Brandt. The true story of the crimes committed by Brandt with insight from an FBI profiler and forensic psychologist, victims’ friends and relatives, and the unique writings from victims before their deaths.

Victor Jiménez was born on April 15, 1965 in Havana, Cuba. He recently published his first poetry book titled Siete Ciudades. His work has been published in a variety of magazines, including Nagari, Baquiana and Sub-Urbano.

Victor’s accomplishments are vast, he is a Television Producer, Film Producer and founder of the three-day DocMiami International Film Festival and Docs in Motion.

The creation of the first International Documentary Film Festival of Miami was the brainchild of former President and Founder Víctor Jiménez, a Promax Gold World Award Winner.

He presently works with the Creative Center of Telemundo Network / NBC Universal.

This poet dreams about another life, a life possible of telling stories in a different way. Through his hands sacred trees flutter, water snakes, fabulous myths and fascinating legends, mythological heroes and gods for every occasion. His hands are stunned by so much beauty. His children, his family, the animals, love, the sea, books and good films are the reasons to create and be better.

“Inside me there is still a flicker of hope for a better world,” Victor assures.

Bay Area actor and writer Don Schwartz has been seen in a number of film roles during the last six years. He is a writer for CineSource magazine (and previously wrote for now-defunct Film/Tape World) on various topics of import to the local film community, including advocacy and personal profiles. Don has also been published in a variety of publications since 1977. Previously the director of The Trager Institute for 21 years, Don holds multiple degrees, including a PhD in psychology and counseling.

Currently a strong advocate for bringing film and TV production back to the Bay Area, Don is also a working member of the Scary Cow film cooperative, which develops widespread ‘mutual support’ for numerous projects by its members. Don is also busy promoting his two scripts, and hopes to produce one in the near future.

Don’s other interests include listening to (and sharing) a wide variety of music, taking care of his twin nieces, and promoting natural health and healing through research. He is a dedicated environmental activist, and an avid fan of aviation and space exploration. About six times a year, readers find Don in the editorial pages of the Pacific Sun, Marin County’s popular alternative weekly.

The Cubans-Our Footprints Across America traces the contributions that Cuban immigrants have made in the United States from as far back as the 1800’s until the present time. In 2012 Fernando Hernandez wrote “The Cubans Our Legacy in the United States” in music, education, sports, business, science, politics and many other sectors of society.

In this book the reader will discover how in 1930 A Havana bandleader traveled to New York City, recorded a million copy hit that kick started a Cuban music craze throughout the United States. Science Fiction lovers will learn that a Cuban-American was the writer, producer and story editor of many of the Star Trek episodes. An author born in 1865 in Brooklyn, NY of Cuban origin began his career at age 12, becoming a prolific boy’s fiction writer, earning the nickname the American Jules Verne. History buffs will enjoy reading about three sisters who became confederate spies during the Civil War and thanks to their bravery, a union warship was captured. New Yorkers and those who visit the Big Apple will read of the work of a structural engineer, born in Havana of immigrant Lithuanian Jews, who was known as “Mr. New York” for his engineering of the city’s skyscrapers, including the 70-story Trump World Tower. Read about a surgeon who in 2012 led a team of 150 Doctors, Nurses and others in Maryland in the most extensive face transplant ever performed in the world. The book also profiles those who serve the less fortunate, including the co-founder of Florida’s largest free clinic serving migrant workers. the working poor, the sick and families who fall between the cracks of America’s social system. This book is journal of Cuban Americans and the footprints they have left on their path across the United States.

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My guest: Grandpaw Peter Koyote, his book: The Atomic Bum is now available on Amazon. The world today faces impending doom at nearly every turn. Wars and pandemics of unimaginable proportions, huge earthquakes, floods and storms are in the offing with no one able to stem the tide of disaster. But not everything in this life is as it appears to be…There are a few precious souls walking amongst us that do indeed contain the magic that could change it all… if only they could be awakened to it. The Atomic Bum is one of those people born to fulfill just such a Destiny, though as usual, we find him in one of the most unlikely places…Sitting by a campfire in a rare hobo jungle, recalling some very revealing stories His tales takes us through both Light and Dark Places, into a mystical world that few have ever seen. Though many have traveled through it unknowingly. Using experience as his guide the atomic bum rips away the veil of illusion from lifes deepest mysteries. As you read his tales, you will come to know a lot more of why this world operates as it does and of where this is taking us. That is if you read with an open mind and an open Heart…Those who dont will find a different result.